Glass-working



F. L. ofwAnswomu'. GLASS WORKING. APPLICATION FILED JULY 30,1914.

1,307,527. I Patented June 24,1919.

' IN I/ENTOR ,4 TTORNEY' FRANK L. o. WADSWORTH, or

PITTSBURGH. PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BALL BROTHERS GLASS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA, A COR- PORATION OF INDIANA.

GLASS-WORKING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1919.

Application filed July 30, 1914. Serial No. 854,024.

To 1! I13 ho "'1 it may wom'cm Be it known that I, FRANK L. O. -WADS won'rll, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Glass-\Vorking, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide such improvements in the art of handling molten metals, especially glass, that receptacles for comparatively small quantities thereof may be successively presented to a discharge orifice from which the molten material is constantly tending to flow and from which it will flow constantly when no receptacle is presented. Specifically the object of the invention is to deliver, in an up ward direction, a constant stream of molten metal most conveniently under a gravity head in such condition that open-bottomed receptacles may be successively brought into register with the delivery opening to receive comparatively small quantities of molten metal and when withdrawn, the flow of molten metal will continue and will fall away from the orifice. Y

My improvements are primarily directed to the art of working glass and other similar viscous materials but, while probably more especially adapted for handling such magerials, they are not necessarily so limite The accompanying drawing which is a vertical section of an apparatus especially designed for practising my improvements,

7 illustrates my invention.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a furnace in which a considerable body of molten metal is maintained and forming a part of, or an extension of, the furnace 1 is a chamber 2 communicating with furnace 1 through the passage 3. Chamber 2 is provided in its bottom with a discharge orifice ortube 4, which, if glass or similar material is to be handled, is preferably surrounded by a furnace 5. The tube 4 delivers to a shoe 6 arranged in the bottom of furnace 5 and provided with a horizontal passage 7 which terminates in an upwardly directed passage 8 surrounded by a nozzle 9 which lies above the normal level of accumulated waste 10 in the bottom of chamber 5 and preferably in alinement with an opening 11 through which the molds 12 or other receiving receptacles may be projected. If desired, the

passage 3 may terminate in a valve seat 13 adapted to receive a valve 1 1 by means of which flow from the furnace or main supply pool 1 into the chamber 2 may be regulated. I

In operation, the molten metal flowing from furnace 1 into chamber .2 flows from thence downwardly through tube 4 under its own head and from thence upwardly through the passage 8 overflowing the nozzle 9 1n a continuous fountain of comparatively small height. This flow is practically continuous and the receptacles 12 will be brought successively down upon the fountain and caused to receive a supply of molten metal either solely because of the head or pressure operating through tube 4 or supplemented by a withdrawal of pressure in the upper portions of the receptacles. As already stated, I prefer to secure the necessary head in the tube 1 by gravity alone, but in cases where this is impracticable, because of a limited vertical height for the installation of the apparatus or for other reasons, I supplement the gravity pressure by air or gas pressure. For this purpose I provide a pipe 15 leading to a source of compressed air or gas and having a valve16 which is normally held closed by a spring. but which can be opened by means of a pin 17 on the reciprocatory rod 18. The said rod 18 is connected to a lever 19 which is secured to the stem of the glass valve 14. When it is desired to supplement the gravity pressure of discharge through the nozzle 9 by air or gas pressure, the rod 18 is depressed thereby simultaneously closing the valve Ordinarily the increased pressure in the chamber 2 and the resultant increased flow of material through the delivery orifice 9 will only be maintained while a receptacle is being filled and in such cases the rod 18 may conveniently the reciprocation of the head which carries the receptacles 12 the pawls being normally released and held in the positions shown in the drawing by a counterweight attached to the valve 14 or the lever 19 or by some equivalent device. 7

For the sake of brevity in the claims, I have used the word glass because that substance is the one most commonly known as possessing the characteristics of material upon which my invention is applicable, but the use of that term is not to be understood 14 and opening the valve 16.

be operated directly by as limiting the application of the invention to that substance but, instead, as defining that general class of materials which, in working conditions are thermoplastic as distinguished from thermoliquid.

1 claim as my invention:

1. That improvement in the art of glassworking, which comprises the delivery of an overflowing fountain of molten metal preliniinary to the application of a receptacle thereto, the temporary application thereto of the open end of a receptacle, and the subsequent removal of the receptacle and contained metal from the fountain.

2. That improvement in the art of glassworking, which comprises the ejection of the molten metal from an orifice under a considerable head, the intermittent application of the open. end of a receptacle to the previously established outwardly moving metal closely adjacent the orifice and the withdrawal of the receptacle and contained metal from the outwardly 'flowing metal leaving the outwardly flowing metal free to continue its outward movement.

3. Apparatus for handling molten metal, comprising a furnace within which may be maintained a material supply of molten metal, a gravity delivery passage leading downwardly from said furnace and having an upwardly directed orifice of such form as to substantially fit a measuring receptacle temporarily applicable thereto, and a waste receptacle surrounding said orifice.

4. Apparatus for handling molten metal comprising a furnace within which may be maintained a material supply of molten metal, a gravity delivery passage leading from said furnace and having an orifice of such form as to substantially fit a measuring receptacle temporarily applicable thereto, and a waste receptacle surrounding said orifice.

5. A glass furnace comprising a main body, a downwardly directed delivery passage leading from said main body and provided with an upwardly directed discharge orifice, and a heating chamber surrounding said downwardly directed passage and discharge orifice, said orifice delivering into said chamber and of such form as to substantially fit a measuring receptacle temporarily applicable thereto.

6. A glass furnace comprising a main body, a downwardly directed delivery pas sage leading from said main body and provided with an upwardly directed discharge orifice, a heating chamber surrounding said downwardly directed passage and discharge orifice, a fore-hearth chamber forming the communication between the main furnace and the downwardly directed passage, and a valve arranged in said fore-hearth ehamber for controlling the main chamber.

In witness whereof I my hand at Pittsl'mrgh, Pennsylvania, this 24th day of July, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and fourteen.

FRANK L. O. WADSWORTH.

the flow of glass from W. T. HOLMAN.

have hereunto set 

